The present invention relates generally to wireless communications devices, and particularly to wireless communications devices operating in a mode that is capable of maintaining simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections.
Some wireless communications devices are currently equipped to operate in a Dual Transfer Mode (DTM). DTM is a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) feature defined for 2G networks that permits the wireless communications device to have a circuit-switched connection at the same time as a packet-switched connection. A similar technology, called “Dual RAB” or “MultiRAB,” permits wireless communications devices to have simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections in a 3G network. Typical applications of this technology allow users to surf the internet or send and receive e-mail at the same time as making a voice call. Given this concurrent services ability and the requirement that networks be capable of supporting such operations, wireless communications devices that are capable of operating in a mode that maintains simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections are popular with users.
Other services, such as the ability to make conference calls, are also popular. A conference call connects a calling party to more than one called party. The called parties may be permitted to speak during the call, or merely listen to the conversation. Conference calls may be established, for example, when one of the parties on an existing call dials the telephone number of a new participant, or specifies the IP address of a new Voice over IP (VoIP) participant, to add that person to the existing call. In other cases, new participants are added when they call into a conference bridge specially set up at the network for that conference call.
Conventionally, the equipment used to support such calls is located in the network, such as a circuit-switched network. As such, the parties to the conference call may all have a connection to that same network.